Fekadu Beyene

Assessment of Knowledge of Pregnant Mothers on Maternal Nutrition and Associated Factors in Guto Gida Woreda, East Wollega Zone, Ethiopia

Nutrition is a fundamental pillar of human life and its requirement varies with respect to age, gender and during physiological changes such as pregnancy. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of pregnant mothers on maternal nutrition and associated factors in Guto Gida Woreda, East Wollega Zone, Ethiopia during January to June of the year 2013, and using quantitative cross-sectional descriptive study on a sample of 422 pregnant women and supplemented by qualitative study (focus group discussion). The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS for windows version (16.0). Multiple logistic regression was run to assess factors that were associated with the dependent variable at p<0.05 and to control the confounders. This research showed only 64.4% of women had nutrition knowledge during pregnancy. There was a positive significant relation between information about nutrition, educational status of mothers and family income and nutrition knowledge of mothers during pregnancy (p<0.001). The knowledge of pregnant mothers was relatively low in this study. Information about nutrition, family income and educational status of mothers had a positive significant relation with mothers’ nutrition knowledge in the study area. Hence, the government in collaboration with concerned bodies should focus on nutritional education and information about nutrition to increase the knowledge of pregnant mothers on nutrition and put in practice during pregnancy in the study area.

Effect of traditional processing methods on nutritional composition and anti-nutritional factors of anchote (Coccinia abyssinica (Lam.) Cogn) tubers grown in Western Ethiopia.

The raw and traditionally processed Anchote (Coccinia abyssinica (Lam.) Cogn.) tubers were studied and compared for their nutritional composition: moisture, crude protein, total ash, crude fiber, crude fat, utilized carbohydrate and gross energy; minerals: Ca, Fe, Mg, Zn, and P and antinutritional factors: phytate, oxalate, tannin and cyanide. Sensory preference taste of Anchote boiled after peeling and boiled before peeling was also reported. The raw, boiled after peeling and boiled before peeling Anchote tubers had respective contents (g/100g) of moisture 74.93, 81.74, and 76.73; for crude protein contents were 3.25, 2.67 and 3.14; for total ash contents were 2.19, 1.33, and 1.99; for crude fiber contents were 2.58, 3.71, and 2.77; for crude fat contents were 0.19, 0.13, and 0.14; for utilized carbohydrate contents were 16.86, 10.42 and 15.23; for gross energy contents were 82.12, 53.48 and 75.26. The raw, boiled after peeling and boiled before peeling Anchote tubers had respective contents (mg/100g) of Ca 119.50, 115.70, and 118.20; for Fe contents were 5.49, 7.60, and 6.60; for Mg contents were 79.73, 73.50, and 76.47; for Zn contents were 2.23, 2.03, and 2.20; and for P contents were 34.61, 28.12, 25.45. The raw, boiled after peeling and boiled before peeling Anchote tubers had respective contents (mg/100g) of phytate 389.30, 333.63 and 334.74; for oxalate contents were 8.23, 4.23, and 4.66; for tannin contents were 173.55, 102.36 and 121.21; for cyanide contents were 12.67, 8.16 and 11.14. This study also revealed that, there was significant (P<0.05) taste preference of Anchote boiled before peeling to Anchote tubers boiled after peeling, in which 66% of consumers gave priority of the preference taste for Anchote boiled before peeling.

Exclusive Breastfeeding Practices of HIV Positive mothers and itsDeterminants in Selected Health Institution of West Oromia, Ethiopia

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) has been practiced all over the world as the best cost effective way of feeding infants. In Ethiopia, breastfeeding is a norm and essential for child survival. However, the pandemic HIV/AIDS and the recognition that HIV positive mothers can transmit the virus to their babies through breast milk precipitated a terrible public health dilemma in countries like Ethiopia where incidences of HIV is high. Objective: To assess the EBF practices of HIV positive mothers and its determinants in a selected health institution of West Oromia (Ethiopia). Methods: Institution based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted through quantitative and qualitative methods in selected health institutions with ART & PMTCT facilities in west Oromia during January to May 2014. A total of 119 HIV positive mothers with their young infants visiting the health institutions were recruited for the study. Results: This study show that the practices of EBF, mixed feeding and replacement feeding were at 72%, 24.6%, and 3.4% respectively. Regarding determinant factors only work place was found to be the only predictor of the practices of EBF among HIV positive mothers (AOR=0.348, 95% CI: 0.121 to 0.995). Conclusion: Of the assumed determinant factors considered in this study, HIV positive mothers who work far from their home were found to be 0.348 times less likely to practice EBF than those mothers who work near their home (AOR=0.348, 95% CI: 0.121 to 0.995).

Feed resources and livestock production situation in the highland and mid altitude areas of Horro and Guduru Districts of Oromia Regional State, Western Ethiopia

A survey was conducted in the highland and mid altitude areas of Horro and Guduru districts of Horro Guduru Wollega Zone of Oromia Regional State, western Ethiopia with the objectives of assessing livestock production situation, livestock production xa0constraints, major feed resources and their potential contribution. A single-visit multi subject formal survey method was used in the survey. A total of 210 household heads, 60 from highland and 150 from mid altitude areas were selected and interviewed. The average land holding was 4.43±0.26 ha per household in the highland and 3.98±0.11 ha in the mid altitude areas. The average size of grazing lands of highland respondents (0.73±0.08 ha) was significantly higher (P<0.001) than that of mid altitude (0.47±0.03 ha). Similarly, the average livestock holdings of highland respondents (13.00±0.60 heads) were significantly higher ( p <0.001) than that of mid altitude livestock holding (9.72±0.45 heads) in which cattle dominates other species. Feed shortage, health problem, poor genetic potential, labour and water shortage were listed as major constraints for livestock production. Natural pasture, cop residues, stubble grazing were listed as major feed resources, with minimal contribution of improved forages and local beverage by products (Diqi or atela). Disappearance of better quality and palatable species of grasses, expansion of invasive plants like Raphanus raphanistrum and Parthenium hysterophorus, and depletion of soil nutrients were listed as factors affecting the quality of grazing land. An average of 11.55 and 13.89 tons of feed dry matter (DM) was produced per household of highland and mid altitude, respectively, of which about 74.03% of the feed in highland and 80.63 % in mid altitude were obtained from crop residues. The contribution of private grazing land was estimated to be 11.7 and 6.41 % of the total feed supply from the private holdings in highland and mid altitude areas, respectively. The contribution of stubble (after math grazing) was estimated to be 14.81 andxa013.03 % of the feed that can be obtained from private holdings. K e y w o r d s : Livestock, Natural pasture, Crop residues, Aftermath grazing, Agro-ecologies